Security technology company Verkada, based in Silicon Valley, has expanded its Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) Security Camera Donation Program to the city of Chicago. The company announced it will donate $100,000 in cloud-based security cameras and software licenses to AAPI-owned organizations that are seeking enhanced security in Chicago.
The donation program started last year to combat the rise in anti-Asian hate crimes, which increased by 73% nationwide. In response to the violence, Verkada began the initiative close to home in the Bay Area, where anti-Asian violence had increased by 567% in San Francisco alone. To date, the $100,000 camera donation has allowed for an initial 100 cameras to be deployed in Asian-owned businesses across the Bay Area — providing businesses with an extra layer of security, according to Verkada.